At Paperbark Camp in Woollamia near Jervis Bay, nature isn’t a backdrop for Australia’s original glamping retreat – it’s the main event.
Mornings at Paperbark Camp begin with magpies warbling and kookaburras laughing, native grasses whispering and kangaroos and wallabies bounding through their bushland home. To this quintessentially Australian soundtrack, an early rising staff member walks quietly along the bush paths, depositing thermoses of hot water onto the steps of the safari-style tents so that we can rise in our own time and make a cup of tea.
I love counting how many types of wildlife I meet on a weekend away, and this place is set to impress. As I lie back on one of the deck’s two loungers sipping on my cuppa, a wedge-tailed eagle circles overhead, and I spot the resident goanna climbing a paperbark tree with unhurried grace. I sat in the same spot the night before, when a pink-nosed possum emerged from the shadows, its eyes glinting with mischief.
Kangaroo, wallaby, magpie, kookaburra, goanna, eagle, possum. Seven so far.
The heart of Paperbark is the treetop Gunyah restaurant, raised on stilts and flanked in the silvery greens of the native bushland. There’s a warmth to the space that comes from more than two decades of thoughtful stewardship. Timber, canvas and soft light create an atmosphere that is both relaxed and refined. With a focus on seasonality and sustainability, the menu celebrates local produce and native ingredients – a nod to the deep Indigenous heritage of this region, where the Yuin Nation people are the Traditional Custodians.
Breakfast begins with a platter of seasonal fruits, acai porridge, freshly squeezed juices and generous portions of hot meals such as fry-ups and avocado and ricotta on toast.
The accommodation continues the theme of understated luxury. Safari-style tents are tucked among the trees, offering privacy without disconnecting you from the landscape. At night, as the forest settles into its nocturnal rhythm, staff draw the mosquito netting around our beds.
Each tent has a bath on the rear deck, perfectly positioned for a soak beneath the open sky. I slip into warm water scented with natural bath salts that carry the fragrance of the bush, and look up: the stars are wildly scattered above like a scarf made of a million diamonds.
As I lie in peace, I hear the distinctive yappy barking of sugar gliders chatting to one another, and decide that even though I can’t see them, this takes me to eight.
Days can be as active or as restful as you choose. I take a leisurely kayak on Currambene Creek – only a short wander from our tent, and explore the property’s walking paths. I come across ducks, swallows and a lone currawong giving me the side eye. Eleven.
As Gunyah is only open for breakfast and dinner, my partner and I visit the nearby Jervis Bay Brewing Co. for some oysters and a charcuterie board from the on-site 5 Little Pigs Food Truck. There are plenty of dogs lolling about under tables. Twelve.
We wrap our long weekend with a walk along Hyam Beach (globally renowned as having some of the whitest sand in the world) and head to Booderee National Park for some snorkelling in the famously crystal-clear waters. While we’re body surfing, two dolphins join us, frolicking in the waves only metres away.
Lucky thirteen. Nature really does reign supreme in these parts.
Rex flies to Sydney and Moruya, both around two hours from Jervis Bay and Paperbark Camp. Book your flights here and check out the route map below for more details. To discover the best things to see and do in Moruya, click here.
